Crankcase flushing machine



May 14,1940- c. F. EHINGER I 2,200,876

CRANKCASE FLUSHING MACHINE Original Filed April '7, 19256I 2 Sheets-Sheel 2 L@ H? f# Gtfornegs Patented May 14, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CRANKCASE FLUSHING MACHINE Carl F. Ehinger, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Paul B. Hunt, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 7, 1936, Serial No. 73,141

' Renewed October 19, 1939 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in mechanisms for flushing the crankcases of internal combustion engines and for removing used and impure lubricating oil and collections of sludge or other impurities deposited in the crankcases of engines.

Internal combustion engines and particularly the engines of motor vehicles accumulate sludge and other impurities within the crankcases thereof in service. These deposits of impurities are not dislodged by the mere act of draining the crankcase to change the oil, and if the impuritiesv are not removed they will mingle with the new charge of oil introduced into the crankcase and thus immediately `contan'iinate the new oil with impurities. According to my invention, I provide a continuous circulation of ushing oil or fluid through the crankcase by the employment of a vacuum pump and circulating pipes and I thoroughly clean the crankcase by forcibly circulating cleaning fluid through the crankcase in a path different from the normal flow of lubricating oil in the engine.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a simple eiiicient mechanism adapted to circulate flushing oil or iiuid through the crankcase of an internal combustion engine eiiectively to clean the crankcase.v Another object is to provide a unitary, portable mechanism of this type. Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus embodying means for circulating the flushing oil from the crankcase through a transparent trapping receptacle so that the removal of impurities from the crankcase may be seen by the operato-r of the device and by the owner of the vehicle. Another object is to provide a trap for accumulating sludge and other impurities which can be readily removed and cleaned. A further object of my invention is to provide a connector or coupling member whereby the device can be connected with the drain opening of the crankcase, the connector being arranged to t crankcase openings of a Wide range of sizes without requiring any special adapters or ttings.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

Briefly, a iiushing machine according to my invention preferably comprises a unitary portable structure including a tank for the reception of the flushing oil, a motor driven suction pump, pipe lines connecting the tank with the suction pump or the crankcase with the pump,

a supply pipe leading from the pump to the inlet opening in the crankcase, and an intermediate transparent trapping receptacle through which all impure oil passes before entering the pump or crankcase. The trapping receptacle preferably contains a filtering screen which may be enclosed in a removable cloth ltering bag, the bag being preferably renewed after each ltering operation. By means of a threeway valve in the circulating lines of the pump,

the suction pipe may be first connected with the supply tank and afterward with the crankcase and a pipe leading from the Valve to the intermediate receptacle may be opened to provide a continuous circulation of pure ushing oil to the pump and crankcase.

The invention also includes the provision of an intermediate two compartment transparent receptacle which is constructed to forni a trap for the sludge as fast as it is carried` away from the engine crankcase, the transparent walls of which permitting the operator to witness the accumulation of sludge therein, and also to know when the crankcase has been thoroughly cleansed by the passage of pure oil through the transparent compartment. The trap may be easily removed from the receptacle for cleaning.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of a flushing apparatus embodying my invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure l; Figure 3 is a plan view thereof; Figure 4 is a sectional View of a threeway valve which controls the circulation of the flushing oil or other cleansing iiuid; Figure 5 is a vertical section through the sediment trap and receptacle and illustratingthc filter screen without a filtering bag; Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical section as indicated by the line 6 6 on Figure 7; Figure '7 is a transverse section as indicated by the line l--l on Figure 5; Figure 8 is a vertical section as indicated by the line 8 8 on Figure 7 and showing the filtering b-ag in p-lace'on the ltering screen; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic elevation showing the device in use; and Figures 10 andv ll are sectional views on an enlarged scale of the coupling member for connecting the suction pipe of the machine to the crankcase of the internal combustion engine.

As shown in the drawings, the tank i which is adapted to contain the flushing oil is vertically mounted upon an angular truck frame 2 which is provided with wheels or casters so that it can readily be transported from place to place and f can be moved to a convenient position for operation upon the crankcase of a motor car. An electrical motor 4 and a suction pump 5 are also mounted on the frame 2, the motor and pump shafts being operatively connected by means of any suitable coupling 8.

The iiuid connections include an outlet pipe I0 leading from the pump and adapted to be inserted in the i'lller opening of the crankcase 2i), while the intake side of the pump may bey connected through the pipe I3 and the sediment receptacle or trap to the three-way valve Il which functions to place the pump in communication either with the supply tank I through the pipe 9 or with the suction pipe I2 which is adapted to be inserted in the `drain opening of the crankcase.

When the electric motor is operated with the connections between thepipes 9 and I3 open, clean flushing oil will be drawn from the supply tank and discharged into the filler opening oi" the crankcase through the hose I0 which is positioned as shown in Figure 9. After the crankcase is lled with clean flushing oil, the threeway valve II is turned to the position shown in Figure 4 to close the pipe 9 leading from the supply tank and to open communication with the suction pipe I2 leading from the drain opening in the bottom of the crankcase. With the valve in the position shown in Figure 4, a continuous circulation of flushing oii takes place from the pump 5 through the outlet pipe IIB, into the crankcase of the engine, through the crankcase of the engine from which it is drawn through the suction pipe I2, through the sediment trap and back to the suction pump.

In order to remove the sludge and other impurities from the circulating oil as it is being circulated through the crankcase, I have provided the intermediate trap receptacle illustrated par* ticularly in Figures 5 to 8 inclusive. lAs shown in Figure 5, uid owing to -the three-way valve I I is discharged therefrom into the lower Compartment I5 of the sediment trap which is separated from the'upper compartment I5 by means of a partition I'I. The uid discharged into the lower compartment rises through the filtering screen IS and into the central pipe or passage I8 and is discharged into the upper compartment Iii-from which point it is drawn off through the pipe I3 leading to the pump where rit is again circulated through the pipe Il? into the inlet opening Z8 of the crankcase.

A removable filtering bag ISa made of ne mesh gauze or other suitable filtering fabric may be slipped over the iltering screen I8 as shown in Figure 3 in order to most effectively remove the solid particles from the flushing oil. The bag may conveniently be held in place by an elastic band or string ISU at the open end thereof, which contracts the bag about the pipe I8 in the region immediately above the top of the screen II). In use the flow of oil from the compartment I5 upwardly through the pipe I8 causes the bag to be held iirmly against the screen I8, the screen functioning to support the bag and prevent it from being collapsed by the pressure of the oil. Preferably each ltering bag is used only once. The circulation of flushing oil may be started with a clean white bag and at the end of the flushingoperation, the dirty bag can be removed and ex` amined to demonstrate the amount of impurities removed from the crankcase to the owner of the car which is being serviced.

Preferably the lower and upper chambers I5- The cups 3! are arranged backv In Figures 10 and 1l of the drawings I have shown the coupling device for securing the pipe I2' to the drain opening of the crankcase. This form of connector may comprise a body portion indicated generally at II having an axial bore I2 and an angularly intersecting fluid passageway 43 terminating in the internally threaded portion de for connection with the suction pipe I2. In the region below ther intersection of the l passageways I3 and 42, the passageway 2 is v threaded as indicated at 13d to receive a correspondingly threaded plug t5 which is threaded therein and which supports'a hookmember 46 extending upwardly through the axial passageway l2 and having a bent end portion 4l which is adapted to enga-ge the inner wall oi the crankcase I8 of the internal combustion engine.

At the upper end of the body portion 4I, an-

other hook member ,4S is secured preferably by threading into an internally extending boss 5I) disposed within the passageway 42. This hook member has a bent end portion 5I similar to the end portion dl' of the hook portion 45 which is` likewise adapted to engage the inner surface of the wall of the crankcase IIB, the two hook members extending in opposite directions when-the device is in use as shown in kFigure 5.

To make a leak proof joint between the crankcase and the coupling member, I have provided the exterior of the body member 4 Iv with athreaded portion 52 on which is threaded a knurled sleeveor nut 53 which supports at its upper end a flanged disc5II adapted to retain a gasket or washer 55 of a suitable sealing material. By

screwing'the nut member 53 upwardly along the threads 52, the gasket 56 may be forcibly engaged with theunder surface 51 of the wall of the crankcase, the coupling member being retained in engagement with the crankcase by the hook members 5I and 41.

In order 'to provide for the easy attachment and removal of the coupling member, the hook member 35 is mounted for rotation with the block 45 -so that when the block 45 is turned through an angle of degrees by means of the handle 60 the end M of the hook member Il is rotated to a position where it ylies closely adjacent the end portion 5I of the hook member 49 as shown in Figure 10 of the drawings. In this position and with the nut 53 screwed downwardly as indicatedk in Figure 10, the device can readily be inserted within the drain opening of a crankcase, and to secure the device therein it is only necessary to turn the handle' from the position shown in Figure 10 to the position shown in Figure l1 thereby separating the end portions of the hook members and at the same time screwing the plug 45 inwardly into the end of the body portion 4I, thus compressing the gasket GI and making a tight joint between the plug member and the end of the body member. Thereafter the sleeve member 53 is screwed upwardly to the position shown in Figure 1.1 to compress the gasket 56 against the lowersurface of the crankcase to make a tighty connection between the suction hose` I2 and the crankcase of the internal combustion engine.

It will be seen that by means of my connectors it is possible rapidly and easily to make a leak proof connection with the crankcase of an internal combustion engine, that no adapters or special iittings are required, and that my connectors will iit drain openings of a wide range of sizes without change.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have provided a simple, inexpensive, efcient and portable device by means of which the collections of sludge adhering to the inner Walls of the crankcase may be forcibly washed away,

and deposited in a transparent trap where they can be seen as fast as removed. My device circulates the cleaning or nushng fluid in a path different from the ordinary path of lubricant in the engine, and by reason of the suction connection the flushing fluid is circulated with suffcient velocity efiiciently to clean the crankcase and remove substantially all sludge and other deposits therefrom. By reason of the transparent trapping receptacle, the results of the cleaning operation can be seen and it can readily be observed when the fluid becomes free from impurities and the crankcase has become clean. The collected impurities may be readily removed from the trapping receptacle so that the entire apparatus is substantially self-cleaning.

Various modifications of my invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates. It is therefore to be understood that my patent is not limited by the foregoing description of preferred forms of my invention or. in any manner other than by the appended claims when given the range of equivalents to which my patent may be entitled.

I claim:

1. A fluid connection adapted for engagement with a receptacle having a drainage opening, comprising a body portion, a hook member rigidly mounted on said body portion, a second hook member rotatably mounted Within said body portion and adapted in one position of adjustment to lie alongside said rst mentioned hook member ing engagement with the exterior surfaces of said receptacle adjacent said drainage opening.

2. A uid connection adapted for engagement with a receptacle having a drainage opening,

comprising a body portion, a hook member rigidly` mounted on said body portion, a second hook member rotatably mounted on said body portion and adapted in one position of adjustment to lie alongside said first mentioned hook member'and in another position oi adjustment to extend in a direction away from said rst hook member, both of said hook members being adapted to project within the drainage openingand to engage the inner Wall of the receptacle adjacent the drainage opening, and sealing means engageable with the exterior surfaces of said receptacle adjacent said drainage opening.

3. A fluid connection adapted for engagement with a receptacle having a drainage opening, comprising a body portion, a hook member rigidly mounted on said body portion, a second hook member rotatably mounted on said body portion and adapted in one position of adjustment to lie alongside said rst mentioned hook member and in another position of adjustment to extend in a direction away from said iirst hook member, both of said hook members being adapted to project within the drainage opening and to engage the inner wall of the receptacle adjacent the drainage opening, a sealing washer disposed on the exterior of said body portion, and screw CARL F. EBINGER. 

